All Cyclifiers

Could the introduction of relatively low-tech processes to transform household waste materials into building elements contribute to a positive social, economic and ecological change of a neighbourhood in developing countries?

This research paper summarizes the technical research done to answer this specific question. The research, that focusses on simple solutions to introduce the possibilities of building with household waste materials within the Indonesian kampung, aims to provide for affordable building materials and at the same time make a change in the local mindset while providing a sustainable solution for a cleaner, healthier neighbourhood. The research is multi-layered; first, the context of an Indonesian kampung is researched by literature study and site visits with conducted interviews and observation. The site, building methods and materials, and last but not least waste production and flows within everyday life are discussed. Secondly, the possibilities of turning this household waste into valuable building materials are researched using mainly reference projects. These reference project are tested on the following six different criteria to research their potential for application within the Indonesian kampung: Availability, Affordability, Assembly, Durability, Transformation process and Variation. From the technical research the eight most promising references were chosen and will be researched further.

Written by: Katja Rossen

This research is part of the graduation studio of Architectural Engineering at the Faculty of Architecture of TUDelft. The aim of the research is to analyse the context and develop program for a new Cyclifier. The research has been conducted under the supervision of Jan Jongert.